← The Gospel of Swami RamdasHis talks, as recorded by Swami Satchidananda

1954-01-01

Chapter 42

Bhavnagar, January 1, 1954

436. Visit to farm

Prince Ghanshyam Sinhji of Limbdi, who had a farm a few miles from Bhavnagar, had requested Papa to visit his farm and bless him. Papa had seen the place the previous year and spent a couple of hours there. Ghanshyam Sinhji's jeep came at 3 p.m. and Papa started at about 3.45 p.m. Mataji, Bansidharbhai and S followed Papa. Papa and Mataji took the back seat and Bansidharbhai and S sat in front.

Just before starting, Papa had received a heavy mail including some long letters from Anandashram. As he had little time to read them, he had put them in his pocket. Now he began reading them out to Mataji. For about ten minutes Papa and Mataji were absorbed in reading letters and were unaware of the bumps they suffered, due to the condition of the road and also the jeep not having heavy springs.

When Papa stopped reading letters, Bansidharbhai asked Papa, "How do you feel? The road is bad and you always get bumps in jeeps?"

Papa: It is nice. Destiny has to be worked out. We could have come in the car from there. Champaben asked again and again if Ramdas would like to have their car. Further, Ramdas himself asked Ghanshyam Sinhji's man if we should go in Kamdar's car or he would send his. Let us now face the music.

Bansidharbhai: This reminds us of our trip to Modasa in a jeep.

Papa: Yes, Ramdas remembers it very well. You were clinging to the jeep lest you should fall.

S (to Bansidharbhai): There is some affinity between you and jeep.

Papa: And our sitting together in it.

S turned to see how Papa was sitting. Looking at him Papa said, "Don't fear. Ramdas is holding on fast."

S: Papa has not been having massage for the last two months. This jeep journey will shake the body so much that Papa may need massage for some days. During war period people used to say that pregnant women would have miscarriage if they travelled by jeep.

Papa: Fortunately none of us are pregnant here. That is indeed a redeeming feature.

Peals of laughter kept everyone so engrossed that none marked the passage of time. They got down at the farm at 4.30 and were received by Ghanshyam Sinhji, his wife, daughters, Nirmal Kumar's wife and children.

Papa and the others had coffee and fruits. Then all were taken round the farm and shown the fruit trees and vegetable plants. Mataji kept on asking Ghanshyam Sinhji various questions about the manuring of plants and other details. They returned to the ashram about 7 p.m.

January 2, 1954

437. Three types of saints

10.30 a.m. After bhajan in the morning Bansidharbhai was sitting near Papa, slowly rubbing his feet. Sai Sattar Shah was sitting near on a chair. Rani Lalitha Devi of Hyderabad, who arrived that morning, also sat opposite to Bansidharbhai. Papa enquired of Lalitha Devi about the devotees in Hyderabad. The talk gradually turned to the days of Papa's visit to Sakori where also Lalitha Devi had stayed with him.

Lalitha Devi: The love of the kanyas there for the Guru seems to be wonderful. Papa, why did Upasani Baba marry them? Could he not keep them as disciples only?

Papa: He knew why he did it. But whatever way it was done, see how they are attached to him. They are sure they cannot in any way go astray. He was a very strict disciplinarian. He never allowed them to put on fashionable garments or dress their hair in the modern style. If he found them doing so, he would ask them what they intended to be. 'Dancing girls or what?' He would be so wild with them that he sometimes used to shout at, beat and kick them. They would run away in fear. Still they loved him.

Bansidharbhai: Papa with due respect to him, I might say that this sort of fiery attitude of a saint does not appeal to me. Papa says that the behavior of saints should conform to the sastras. Is this in accordance with the sastras?

Papa: It is. There are three types of saints. They are all paramahamsas. The three types are ‘bala’, ‘unmatta’ and ‘pishacha’. Those who are in ‘bala avastha’ always remain like children – playful, gentle and cheerful. Those in the ‘unmatta’ state do not have anything to do with the world. Those of the ‘pishacha’ type beat, abuse and/or curse others.

Bansidharbhai: Do the puranas speak of any one who was of the ‘pishacha’ type?

Papa: Yes, there was Durvasa. He was beating and cursing when he got angry. Still thousands of devotees loved him and worshipped him.

Bansidharbhai: How could we say they loved him when they ran away from him out of fear?

It was time for Papa's bath. So Papa did not answer the question, but took his leave of them. After bath, he had his lunch in the company of Sai Sattar Shah and was about to rest. Mataji got the hot water bag to foment Papa's chest, as he had slight pain in the heart region. A few days earlier a bearded sadhuji aged about sixty, strong and healthy, came to meet Papa. Seeing him, Papa was so full of joy that he rose and gave him a hearty embrace. While embracing, Papa felt intense pain on the chest and so released the hold. On examining, it was found that Papa's watch, which was in his pocket, had caused the pain. Since then, fomentation was being given everyday. Papa used to remark: "The sadhuji never wanted the embrace. But, just like calling a running tiger and asking it to eat you up, Ramdas volunteered to give him an embrace and this is the result."

Bansidharbhai came in and sat near Papa and resumed the conversation.

Bansidharbhai: Papa, do not people run away from saints of the ‘pishacha’ type?

Papa: Those who run away do so whether the saint is angry or not. Are not some people running away from Ramdas? Of course, Ramdas might sometimes be slightly rough with them for any wrong they do. But they get so furious at it that they go even to the extent of abusing Ramdas and going away from the ashram.

January 3, 1954

438. How Papa looked upon Mataji

10.30 a.m. Papa had just come into the room after morning bhajan. Whenever he came from bhajan he would bring to Mataji some prasad distributed to the devotees. That day he had a sugar cake in his hand and as soon as he saw Mataji he handed it on to her.

Mataji: It is very good of you to remember to bring prasad for me daily.

Papa: How can Ramdas forget you? You are Ramdas’ only support. How can he remain without you?

Saying that and laughing, Papa went to the bathroom.

Mukund Pai who was near Papa, looking at Mataji, said, "Now you see what Papa thinks of you." Mataji did not reply and Mukund Pai went out on some work. When Papa came from the bathroom, still laughing, Mataji said: "Papa, when you speak like this, others cannot understand. They take it that you speak having only the body-idea. How can they know with what vision you are talking?"

Papa only laughed, and went to the hall again to meet some devotees waiting there.

S (to Mataji): What did you ask Papa?

Mataji: When Papa said that I was his only support, Mukund Pai looked at me and laughed. He apparently did not understand that when Papa said "you", he meant not this body but divine prakriti. The whole universe is the form of the Mother. How can all understand this?

January 4, 1954

439. Papa agog to look into the mail

After midday rest Papa was taking fruits. Meanwhile, the postman came with the day's dak. The chowkidar received it and entered the room. S who was standing near Papa, thinking that Papa might hurry eating the fruits if he knew that the post had arrived, signalled him to keep the letters on the table behind Papa. Papa saw him leave and asked S, "What did he bring?"

S: He brought the post, Papa.

Papa: Bring it here.

The letters were brought and kept on the table near Papa. Papa glanced over the envelopes and suddenly stopped eating. He took out his dentures, washed his hands and mouth, and was in a hurry to open the post. Noting this, S instructed the chowkidar to bring in the post, in future, after Papa had taken fruits.

6.30 p.m. Papa returned from evening walk. Some devotees were waiting to meet him. They all came in and sat before him. Just then, Papa's dinner was brought and placed on the table. The devotees went out. Mataji was arranging things on the table. S was sitting near the door and at his side was Sriram who had come from Bombay a couple of days back. Lalitha Devi was standing near Papa.

As soon as Papa started his meal, a telegram was brought in and handed over to S.

S: ‘Papa, a telegram’ – Papa did not hear him. Mataji came near S and asked him not to tell Papa before he finished his meal. But now, Papa turned towards S and noticed the telegram in his hand.

Papa: What is that? A telegram?

S: Yes, Papa.

Mataji took it from S. Lalitha Devi suggested that it might be opened after Papa's meal. But Papa said, "It is all right; Ramdas can read it."

Mataji opened the telegram and placed before Papa, who read: "Reaching fifth morning Somanath mail – Natverlal."

Mataji: As soon as the telegram came, my thoughts were of Dayanand.

S: In Anandashram it is usual to receive telegrams but here it is rare and therefore we entertain some doubt or fear when telegrams are received.

Mataji: I was anxious to know the contents but at the same time, did not like it to be opened when Papa was having his meal.

January 5, 1954

440. Peace in Papa's presence

Rani Lalitha Devi was sitting near Papa along with a few devotees. Papa was waiting for his bath and it was nearing 11 a.m. Seeing Lalitha Devi clinging on to Papa with great love and devotion, he remarked: "What is there in Ramdas? Has he two horns? Why do you run after him? Ramdas was with you in Hyderabad a few days. Then you came to Sakori to stay with him and now again you have come to Bhavnagar all the way from Hyderabad."

Lalitha Devi: That is what others also ask me. When I was about to go to Sakori, they asked me why I should go to see you as you had been with me at Hyderabad only a few days earlier. They laughed at me when I again started for Bhavnagar. They wonder if I have gone mad. When I am near you, I get so much peace, which I miss when I am away, engrossed in my own affairs.

Natverlal Parikh, who came that morning from Ahmedabad with Chandrakalaben, was also sitting among the devotees. They were equally mad after Papa.

Natverlal: When we left Ahmedabad, our friends laughed at us. They asked us why we should come here as you were with us in Bombay a few days back. When we told them that you would be at Ahmedabad and we would be there also, they laughed still more. They said: "Bansidhar had been to Bhavnagar and returned only recently, and now the younger brother is going. Ramdas, who was in the ashram and was not going out at all, is now brought out by these brothers who went to the ashram for that purpose. Finally they would take him to Nadiad and drop him at the mill where he was once employed."

This caused a burst of laughter among those present. Mataji, sitting in one corner, could not control her laughter.

Papa: So what do you find special in Ramdas?

Natverlal: Papa is a baffling saint.

Papa: He is not a saint or bhakta. You may call him a baffling person.

441. Saints and Avatars.

Lalitha Devi: What is the difference in the sphere of work of saints and avatars.

Papa: They come to the world with different purposes – avatars to destroy the evil-doers but saints to transform them.

Lalitha Devi: When saints are there to transform them, why should avatars come to destroy them?

Papa: Those whom the avatars killed were destined to be killed by the avatars. Thus, being killed by the avatars, the asuras attained moksha straightaway. So it was better that way for the asuras.

Lalitha Devi: Why don't you make us attain moksha straightaway?

Papa: You have to become asuras then. Do you want to?

Lalitha Devi: No, no. (All laugh)

Papa: If we go on talking like this, Ramdas will be late for his bath. He has been thinking of getting up for the last ten minutes but this talk detained him.